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7 steps to saving energy straight away

The link on the left will lead you to information that can help you change your lifestyle and put you on the path of saving energy within your home. To get you well on that path, we will share with you our guaranteed money saving tips. Here we go.

1. Turn off lights and appliances when not in use!

Just because you are not using an appliance does not mean that no energy is being used up. All electronically powered devices can be put off without damaging them. They should only be left on when there is use for them, for instance the use digital or satellite TV recorders to be used to record an episode of your favourite program. Turning off lights for just a fraction of a second also goes a long way in saving energy around your home. It takes lesser energy for a light to start up from when it was switched off. Your household will save £40 throughout the year just by practicing the habit of turning off. It’s never too late to start.

2. Turn down the air conditioning!

The common practice in many homes is setting the central heating system higher than normal. You can save a lot of energy by simply turning it down one dial. Try and let it stay that way for a day and gauge if the warmth level still works for members of your household. You can choose to continue doing this until the point that the room feels too cool and when it gets to this level you can take the dial up one level. For every degree you reduce on the central heating, you are likely to save £60 on the heating bill.

3. Use your kitchen appliances carefully!

Yes, you can save an additional £35 through the year by using the appliances within your kitchen carefully. Here are some quick examples how; by setting your washing machine to 30°C, drying your clothes outside instead of using the tumble dry option and using an ECO kettle over a standard one. ECO Kettles use an average of 31% less energy than any other kettle. You also don’t have to fill up to the brim every time you need to boil water. Just put in what you will need.

4. Opt for low energy options!

Are you currently using low energy light bulbs? If you haven’t, you need to. There are a wide variety to choose from and they come in different sizes and shapes. Always get bulbs that have the mark of Energy Saving Trust so that you can be sure you have gotten top notch quality. Replacing the old bulbs and halogens with energy saving LEDs will save you £55 every year.

5. Use a shower head!

An Eco one at that! If you are using a shower that gets its water directly from the hot water tank or boiler fit a shower head that offers efficiency. It will cut off the hot water and you will hardly notice that when you jump in for a shower. Using a shower head is effective in terms of heating water and reduces your households’ water bill to £78.

6. Use a tank jacket for your tank!

You save more by fitting your tank with a jacket rather than using a cylinder that is not insulated. Along with that, insulate any piping that leads to the boiler or the cylinder. Fitting the cylinder with the jacket is a do-it-yourself job and will not cost you more than £25. Doing this will help you save £55 through an entire year.

7. Get rid of draught in your home!

Draught within your household causes your home to lose heat. It could come from anywhere, namely gaps on the floor, cracks and crevices around your home, spaces on your homes windows and doors. To cut down on the heat loss, you can minimize on the draught by draught proofing the house. The materials for this job would cost you £90 for a year but all that cost will be covered in the long run after a period of not more than 2 years.

Now that you can see for yourself that there is an amount to save here and there, you can add it up to see just how much that amount is. Much as some of these saving overlap, the point here is that you can save up to £300 in a year and at the same time spend much less. The changes you and your family are willing to undertake will determine the savings that you will make in the long run.

This post has been written by Sandra Melo, SEO consultant for the hardware store Robert Dyas.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Brown .